


here in this light

by hannamoon



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Eugene has no idea what he's gotten himself into, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Rapunzel has PTSD, Rated only because Eugene keeps cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:40:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25340008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannamoon/pseuds/hannamoon
Summary: Rapunzel has a nightmare. Eugene has Rapunzel.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 20
Kudos: 104





	here in this light

**Author's Note:**

> title from CWJBHN by jake scott and josie dunne

To say Eugene’s surprised when he finds the guard on the other side of his door would be a lie. It’s really a wonder they let him into the castle at all, rescued lost princess be damned. Even with Rapunzel holding on tightly to his hand as her parents introduced her to the home she’d been stolen from, he queried how much longer he’d be allowed to stay by her side. Not long, he gathered, from the looks the king kept throwing him.

So it is a surprise when the guard doesn’t shackle him or order Eugene to gather his few worldly possessions, but rather gestures for him to follow. He recognises the path to her room instantly, notes the tension in the guard's shoulders as they walk. Something’s happened then. Shit, something’s happened to Rapunzel and _he wasn’t there_ —

He nearly collides with the guard when the fool stops outside Rapunzel’s chambers. Hastily stepping around him, Eugene barrels into the room, preparing himself for any number of sights. 

What he finds is the king and queen standing at her bedside, a few more guards scattered throughout the room. Even the frog sits helplessly on her bed frame. And then there’s Rapunzel, sitting at the edge of her bed, gasping and heaving, the duvet clenched in her hands. At his entrance, Queen Arianna ceases her hovering and turns to him. He’s not blind to the weariness in her expression—or the shadows under her eyes.

“She woke up screaming, and she won’t let anyone near her," she says, hands twisting helplessly at her sides in a manner unfit for a queen—but fit for a mother. "I thought maybe… you could help her.”

“I, uh…”

Truthfully, he knows he belongs here least of all. It was sheer luck he found her in that tower, and though he’s certain in his feelings for the lost princess, he’s on pins and needles waiting for that luck to run out. Eventually Rapunzel’s going to realise she’s worth a lot more than some scoundrel from the streets of Vardaros. And he’s trying not to get too attached before that happens.

Though it’s hard to remember why he’s not supposed to fall in love with her when she’s curled in on herself like that, tears streaking her cheeks and—he’s already moving towards her, like a moth to a flame.

“I’ll give it a shot," he stutters out. "Your Majesty.”

Eugene approaches her slowly, dropping to his knees before her. For a moment, he realises that he’s _kneeling before a princess in her bedchambers_ , which brings a number of distracting thoughts to the forefront of his mind. He sits back on his haunches before he can do something stupid like kiss her in front of her parents, and settles for reaching for her hands.

“Rapunzel?”

It takes her a moment to notice him, relief washing over her features so suddenly it catches him off guard. “ _Eugene_!”

She’s on the bed in one instant and in his arms the next, folding into him in a mess of limbs and tucking her head securely against his chest. Then she’s crying, her body shaking in his arms as he wraps around her just as tightly.

Like that, the room disappears around them. He doesn’t know how long he sits there, running his hand down her back and whispering reassurances in her ear, desperate to console her. Eventually her hands loosen their grip in his shirt, and she peeks out just far enough from their embrace that he can look her in the eye.

“Hi,” he whispers. “What happened?”

“I was so worried none of it was real." Her breath hitches as she stumbles through her words. "That I’d woken up, and I was… _trapped_ … there again.”

She reaches a hand to his face as she speaks, tracing along his jawline, her expression so haunted it settles at the bottom of his throat. Without thinking, he scoops her up in his arms and carries her across the room. He doesn’t glance at anyone else, especially not the king and queen, as he becomes painfully aware of the way her nightgown’s hitched up, his hands on her bare thighs. Shit, this is really not the time for this.

But no one stops him as he sets her down by the window, unlatching it and stepping out to the balcony. Eugene turns and offers his hand, which Rapunzel takes without question. 

She looks beautiful, stepping out into the moonlight. Her eyes catch on the night sky like he knew she would, lighting up her face under the glow of the stars. Her hair, choppy and slept-in, frames her cheeks and flutters gently in the breeze. Tucking a stray strand behind her ear, his heart catches in a way it shouldn’t at this forsaken hour.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he turns his gaze up and away.

“See? All real, Princess.”

Rapunzel walks to the edge of the balcony, dragging him along with the hand she’s claimed. She leans forward, peering down to the garden below, then leans back into his arms once he stops behind her. Resting a head back on his shoulder, she looks to the sky while he looks solely at her. He quickly presses his lips to her forehead before he loses his nerve.

She makes it worth it when she immediately releases a small laugh, her voice flitting melodically through the wind. There’s still the evidence of her nightmare in the stains on her cheeks, the shaking of her hand, but it fades under her smile. The smile she’s giving just for him.

They stand in the moonlight, Rapunzel securely in the circle of his arms, until her head starts drooping against his shoulder. He laughs, arms tightening around her and pulling her back to her room. She makes a weak sound of protest.

“It’ll still be here tomorrow, right?”

Eugene smiles down at her. “Pretty sure. But only if you get some sleep.”

She consents then, following him back through the window with one last glance back. The room is empty when they return, save for one last guard standing in the open doorway. Of course. Can’t leave the princess alone in the clutches of the thief.

And truly, he does plan to leave her to rest. Though before he can tuck her in, Rapunzel tightens her hold on the hand she still hasn’t let go of. 

“Don’t go, please.”

He weighs the implications of climbing in her bed as if he has a choice in the matter. As if he didn’t already decide from the way her voice caught, the way that he sees the fear creeping slowly back into her eyes. Damn, she’s really going to be the death of him one of these days. _Again,_ that is.

So Eugene settles beside her against his better judgement—or any judgement, really. She curls into him without hesitation, ruining his one pretence of creating distance between them. Not that he wanted the space. In fact, feeling the way she fits against him, her breath skating against his collarbone, solidifies that heavy feeling in his chest—something that might be love if he analysed it closely, which he stubbornly won’t.

“Goodnight, Rapunzel."

She mumbles something unintelligible, bringing a smile to his lips. Sure, he never planned to fall headfirst into the arms of a princess, but if this is where she wants him, then there’s nowhere else he wants to be.

**Author's Note:**

> oh boy. i can't believe no one told me there was a tangled series until i had to stumble across it on disney plus, watch it in its entirety in a week, and dig out an old ao3 account. i already have like a thousand fanfics planned that i'm trying to write all at once, but this one fell out first. (and it rly has shit all to do with the series whoops). so let me know if this is terrible or i'm gonna bombard you all with fics


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